Andrew Zondo
Andrew Zondo was a trained Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) operative. He was remembered for detonating a bomb at Sanlam Centre in Amanzimtoti killing civilians on 23 December 1985. Early life Andrew Zondo joined the ANC when he was 16 years of age, and went into exile. He initially wanted to further his studies in exile but eventually trained as a guerrilla in Angola for the purpose of fighting South Africa's apartheid government. His full names were Andrew Sibusiso Zondo, but was commonly referred to as Andrew Zondo. He grew up at KwaMashu Township which is situated in the outskirt of Durban. He attended Ngazane Lower Primary School, then went to Phakama Higher Primary and eventually did his high school education at Nhlakanipho High School in KwaMashu, before he left for exile around the 1980's. He however did not complete his high school education. He developed passion for politics at an early age. Amanzimtoti bombing On 20 December 1985, the South African security forces carried out a raid in Lesotho, killing nine anti-apartheid activists. In retaliation Durban MK operatives including Andrew Zondo placed a bomb (limpet mine) at the Amanzimtoti Sanlam shopping centre on 23 December 1985 killing three adults and two children while other 40 people were injured. For this act Andrew Zondo is widely reviled by white population in South Africa. Irma Bencini (48) was one of the deceased. Her stepdaughter, Debbie Scott, an Amanzimtoti resident, recounted that fateful day. Oliver Tambo the former president of the ANC indicated that the killing of civilians was against the ANC policy, and accordingly he disapproved of the bombing by Andrew Zondo but stated he understood the reasons for its being carried out. Death Andrew Zondo was later captured on 29 December 1985 by the South African security forces. He was prosecuted, found guilty and sentenced to death. He was executed in Pretoria on 9 September 1986. The judge that presided over this case was Justice Ramon Leon. Andrew Zondo died at the age of 19. The other accomplices, Mr Phumezo Nxiweni (20) and Mr Stanley Sipho Bhila (31), who were acquitted in court were later extrajudicially executed by the Security Branch. Legacy The Lovu Primary School was renamed Andrew Zondo Primary School in honour of Andrew Zondo as a cadre of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). This move was vehemently opposed by political opposition parties in South Africa on the basis that Andrew Zondo was a bad example to young children as he was a convicted killer. Kingsway Road in Amanzimtoti was also renamed after Andrew Zondo in his honour. This development also drew criticism from political opposition parties. Their argument was that it was morally unjustifiable to honour a person who was a killer of innocent victims. A certain Ernest Roets once questioned General Siphiwe Nyanda, former Chief of Staff of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), about the memory of Andrew Zondo, and Siphiwe Nyanda responded as follows: External/Internal Links * The Amanzimtoti bombing thirty years on: Politicsweb * Solomon Mahlangu References Category:Umkhonto weSizwe personnel Category:People convicted of murder by South Africa Category:Executed South African people Category:20th-century executions by South Africa